Fire In Downtown Clayton Destroys Helping Hand Mission

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CLAYTON — A fire broke out in Clayton Friday night, destroying the Helping Hand
Mission, a place where people in need went for help.

Firefighters from Smithfield, Wilson's Mills, Garner, and Knightdale were called in
to help fight the fire. Two other businesses were threatened by the fire.

The cause of the fire is not yet known, but authorities suspect natural gas may be
responsible.

The people who usually spend their Saturdays helping others in what used
to be the
Helping Hand Mission could only look at the fire damaged building and
wonder. Gloria Sims worked at the Helping Hand Mission for eight years. She called it her
home.

"That was my baby. I loved
working with the people. I loved working with the public and all," she says. "Now I don't
know what I'm going to do because it's
gone. This is going to be a loss to me as well as the community."

The most important accomplishment for the firefighters was keeping the
fire to one building.

It took some fast work and quick thinking to save the adjoining buildings
on both sides. One was a family-owned furniture store.

Firefighters moved the furniture away from the wall and called the manager of a nearby
hardware store out of bed to
bring over some tarps to cover the furniture.

Leigh Hudson calls his helping out part of the joy of living in a small town like
Clayton.

"I was glad to help out. It made me feel good," he says. "The opportunity to have those relationships where you know the fire chief and the police chief and the local hardware
store owner [is wonderful]. Everyone knows everyone here, and we have to
get in touch
with each other when we have a time of need."

"It's going to be a loss but we're going to get it back together by the
help of the Lord, Ms. [Sylvia] Wiggins [who
operates the Helping Hand Mission], and the community," says Sims. -->

If you would like to help out in any way, you can call
919-828-9744.

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